Only Pretence
by snowleaf
Summary: Pretending was easy, Momo found. It was pretending to pretend that was difficult. [MomoKai]
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Only Pretence  
**Chapter:** 1  
**Rating:** PG-15  
**Fandom: **Prince of Tennis  
**Pairing: **Momo/Kaidoh, minor InuKai and MomoAnn  
**Disclaimer: **I own neither the characters nor the manga.

* * *

Really, Momo has no idea how he had gotten himself into this situation.

Him. Mamushi. On a date.

Inui-senpai. Ann-chan. Watching.

How…? No, really, just… _how_?!

A familiar, creepy smile crawled to mind, one that's going to haunt him for the rest of his days.

Oh yeah... Momo remembered. _**That's**_ how...

* * *

"Fuji-senpai!"

Momo caught the petite tennis genius just as he's about to leave the changing room. It was after practice and they were one of the last ones left. Fuji smiled serenely at him and Momo briefly wondered what he was thinking, and then decided he didn't want to know.

"Fuji-senpai, I err, I want some… some advice."

Fuji smiled on. "Yes?"

"Ano…" Blood surged to his cheeks and Momo scratched at his nose. "I-I want to make som-someone, well... Tachibana Ann notice me. I mean, I know she already knows who I am and all but that's not what I'm saying. I-I want her to… to…" Momo stammered but Fuji remained unhelpful. "I want her to think of me in a boyfriend sort of way, I-I suppose."

"Ah…" Fuji murmured and then stopped. Momo was sure he looked like a pan-fried tomato, and the sun will soon become a pale comparison to the brightness his face was emitting. The silence dragged on. Fuji didn't move a muscle and time almost seemed frozen. Momo got the distinct feeling that this was done on purpose.

It was moments like this that he wondered. Why the_ **hell**_ did he chose Fuji-senpai?

Oh yeah... The same answer he had already given himself numerous times before floated back to mind. It was simple. No one else could do it.

Tezuka-buchou, the first choice, would be as likely to be experienced with these matters as Momo would be with the concept of diet. Echizen would mostly likely (ie. definitely) just pull down his hat and snigger his ass off. And then say "Mada mada dane." Eiji-senpai and Oishi-senpai… well, Momo sincerely doubted they had much experience with girls. Inui-senpai didn't look too popular with girls either, and Momo would rather not hear "Ii data" with every word he spoke. Of course, there was always Taka-san… but any advice from him would be split between BURNING mode and meek nice-guy mode.

And yes, there was always Mamushi. But frankly, Momo would rather have both his arms amputated than ask that snake for help. Besides, there was no way Momo could be more lacking in the romance department than _him_.

So it all boiled down to Fuji-senpai. Who, Momo thought, was clearly very popular with the ladies if the number of Valentine chocolates was anything to go by; and looked far more approachable than a certain someone. He did take into account Fuji-senpai's sadistic side, but then (after flipping the coin twenty times) decided to chance it.

Although now, he was having serious doubts about that decision.

"Ne… Fuji-senpai?"

"Hm?"

Momo stared into that pretty but definitely satanic face. "Can you help me at all?"

Again, there was no response. Slightly irritated, Momo was about to turn around and forget the whole thing when those clear blue eyes snapped open at last.

"Date someone else."

Talk about blunt.

"**_Eh?_**"

The pretty face relaxed again, and the smile was back in place. "It is a verified fact that the only assured way to make a person notice you is to make them jealous. After all, how could they ignore you if you're constantly in their heads 24/7. And the best way to do that is just to date someone else."

Momo nodded, as the information sunk in, thinking it made a lot of sense; and then stopped, noticing the major flaw in this plan.

"Bu-But!" He wailed. "I don't know any girls I can date!"

Blue eyes flashed again, and Fuji looked over Momo's shoulder. "Kaidoh! Could you come here for a second."

A gruff looking, just-got-out-of-the-shower Kaidoh trudged over to them. His hair was still wet with water and only a towel covered his torso. He didn't look pleased, but neither did Momo.

"What?" Kaidoh barked.

Fuji didn't seem phased by the his obvious annoyance, and only beamed wider.

"I was just talking to Momo," Here, Kaidoh flashed an accusing glare in Momo's direction, as if everything was his fault. "And it appears that Momo would like you to become his boyfriend!"

The last word fell and Momo wasn't sure who was more shocked. Him or Kaidoh. Although he doubted anyone could be more shocked than he was.

"What the… **_No!_**"

They shouted together. And then looked at each other as they did so. Scoffing, they turned away at the same time.

"Fuji-senpai! What the… What are you… I mean, just…" Momo could barely get the words out.

"Psssshh…"

Fuji looked undisturbed, and mocked surprise at their reactions.

"What? Momo, you said you needed someone."

"Y-Yes, senpai, but a girl. A _girl_!"

"What the hell is this idiot yapping about?"

"Hey, who are you calling an idiot, Mamushi!!"

"Don't call me Mamushi!"

"Mamushi Mamushi Mamushi!!"

"You bastard! I'm gonna shut that goddamn trap of yours!"

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try!"

Fuji watched on, looking perfectly at home amidst the scuffle. Glancing patiently at his watch, he waited until both of them have exerted the majority of their strength before stepping in.

"Ne, I think I just saw Tezuka coming back."

Momo and Kaidoh stopped in their tracks, and whipped their heads around so fast that their foreheads bashed together. A loud clang and several stars later, Fuji led Kaidoh to a safe distance away from Momo and explained the situation in brief. Momo could've died of embarrassment and it didn't help with the disgusted looks Kaidoh kept throwing him.

"So you see, Kaidoh, Momo needs you to _pretend_ to be his boyfriend – just for a while – so that Tachibana-san's imouto will fall in love with him."

Momo spluttered at the choice of word. Not _love_! He never said love!

"I refuse." Kaidoh said loudly, making sure that Momo heard as well. "Sorry but I don't have the time to play along with some idiot's silly game. Ask someone else."

Momo expected as much. Kaidoh didn't look like boyfriend material, no matter which way you look at it. And really, Momo would die rather than to beg Kaidoh for assistance. But Fuji was much more persistent.

"Wait Kaidoh." Kaidoh halted in his steps, not willing to disobey a senpai's direct order. Fuji walked up and clasped a hand onto his shoulder. "It can work for you too. Think about it. If you are seen dating Momo, then maybe Inui will finally get the idea."

A tremble of surprise shot through Momo. _Inui?_

"…" Kaidoh didn't say anything. But as the afternoon sunlight streamed through the open door, Momo realised with another stab of shock that the stupid snake was blushing!

Fuji leaned in towards Kaidoh's ears, and whispered something softly. Still too dazed that Kaidoh could blush, Momo didn't even bother to eavesdrop. Kaidoh… and Inui… He could've almost laughed. Who would've thought the snake had feelings of that sort towards Inui-senpai…

By the time he came around again. Fuji had already gone, and Kaidoh was standing in front of him, eyes dark and scrutinizing. Momo tried to erase all traces of glee from his expression.

"Tsk, stupid dumbass." Kaidoh picked up the towel that had fallen and threw it at Momo. "Wipe that idiot look off your face. I'll be ready in two minutes." He grabbed his bag from the corner. "You'd better act better than you play."

Momo was about to retort back with something equally scathing when the words died pathetically in his throat. And the reality crashed down on him.

Bloody fucking hell…

He was dating Mamushi.

* * *

_**Author's Notes**_

_Um… New story. New pairing. New kind of romance… I've just fallen so much in love with this pairing that the fact that they're boys doesn't even register in my sleep-deprived brain._

_I hope to make this into a decent-lengthed story and have the plot pretty much all carved out, all I need now is some encouragement because I am really nervous about writing something so completely new and foreign to me. So please comment and review!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Only Pretence  
**Chapter**: 2  
**Rating**: PG-15  
**Fandom**: Prince of Tennis  
**Pairing**: Momo/Kaidoh, minor InuKai and MomoAnn  
**Disclaimer**: I own neither the characters nor the manga.

* * *

Mamushi was not the easiest of boyfriends.

Of course, Kaidoh wasn't _really_ Momo's boyfriend, and it wasn't like Momo knew what boyfriends (or girlfriends) are like anyway, but, seriously, he doubted there would be many boyfriends (or girlfriends) who could be as troublesome and as nit-picking as Kaidoh.

Like now, for instance.

It was only their second "date", and already it was ridiculous. After finally settling down after disagreements about everything from how they got together, to how far they've supposed gotten (here, Kaidoh turned oddly pink and hissed a lot), the stupid Mamushi just _had_ to pick a fight with him about hamburgers.

Yes. Hamburgers.

"You are **not** paying for me."

Momo chanced a glance behind them. Inui and Ann were talking politely to each other and haven't yet seemed to have noticed the storm cloud brewing before them. He turned around quickly, and seethed.

"Stop being difficult, Mamushi. They're gonna notice." Momo took out his wallet, but only to have a firm hand grab onto it.

"Then listen to me, I'm not a fucking girl!"

Kaidoh looked positively furious, and Momo mused briefly in the back of his mind the idea of Kaidoh being a girl, especially with cheeks flushed that like. He almost sniggered as he noted Kaidoh's pouty lips and long-ish hair. A painful clench around his wrist brought him back to reality though, and he saw the murder intent in those dark eyes. Momo cringed. As if a real girl would look like that.

"Get off." He slapped Kaidoh's hand to one side. "We have to make this look like a real date. And in dates, generally, one person foots the bill. Who said you're a girl anyway? Geez, don't flatter yourself, Mamushi."

Kaidoh's glower darkened. But Momo was too used to it to care.

"Look, do you wanna pay for all of this?"

He gestured to the eleven hamburgers lying innocently on the counter before them, only two of which was Kaidoh's. The indication was pretty clear.

Kaidoh didn't reply, and Momo knew he'd won.

"Good." Fishing out the money, he handed it to the confused waitress and grabbed the tray.

By the time they've all ordered and paid, the restaurant was bustling with people and they had difficulty getting seats. A girl and a boy scampered when they neared and Momo was about to laugh when he realised it was because of Kaidoh, who looked like he wanted to destroy everything and everyone in sight. Momo jabbed him in the ribs and mentally reminded himself to talk to Kaidoh about attitude problems. Who goes on dates looking like their family's just been murdered?!

"So." Ann began, sticking a straw into her drink.

They sat, rather squished, in a small cramped corner near the window with Momo and Kaidoh on one side and Inui and Ann on the other. Momo watched as Ann swirled her drink around with her little finger sticking up.

"I heard you're playing doubles now."

Momo choked on his burger. Next to him, he heard Kaidoh give a disgruntled 'hmph'.

Yes, they were playing doubles. An event neither of them predicted and neither of them welcomed. Momo blamed Echizen for suggesting the idea.

"It'll be great, Momo-senpai." The brat had said, as he smirked for all he was worth. "Soon you'll be like Oishi and Kikumaru-senpai. And you've seen how their tennis has improved with the blossoming of their relationship. I can just see it now: Seigaku's Golden Pair; Second Generation. Partners in tennis and boyfriends in life. It's love and tennis, what more could you want?"

It was lucky for Echizen that Tezuka-buchou had walked in right at that moment; Momo wasn't sure if his hands wouldn't start choking on their own. How could Echizen compare him and Mamushi to Oishi and Eiji-senpai?!

Unwrapping another burger, he flitted a glance at Kaidoh, who was still brooding and hasn't even touched his food. He snorted derisively. Him? Love this snake?! As if… There was more chance of him becoming anorexic than that happening.

"Yeah, we are. Baa-chan thought it was a good idea, seeing we're always short on doubles and all. It's only a trial period right now, but we'll be ready for the next tournament." He bit into a burger. "Isn't that right, Mam- Kaidoh?"

Kaidoh jerked as his name was suddenly brought into the conversation, and hissed softly.

"Ah… Yeah…"

Momo peered at him, wondering what's happened. Mamushi was glowering at everyone just a few minutes ago and now he was looking down at the table and acted extremely uneasy. Glancing up, Inui's sombre face from the other side told Momo why. He refrained from rolling his eyes. Was Mamushi _always_ like this around Inui-senpai?

Time to take drastic action.

Putting down the burger, Momo reached out and grabbed Kaidoh's hand, almost smirking when the other body tensed up.

"Ne Kaidoh," He put on his most sincere voice. "You should come over to my house after school one day; we need to work on our doubles tactics."

The acting was excellent, Momo thought, with just the right amount of flirtatious innuendoes injected. The stunned reactions from the other side of the table surely proved that. He should've gotten an Oscar.

It was a shame that his co-star was so rubbish though.

Kaidoh blinked and looked down at their interlinked hands, as if he's never seen anything like it before; he hissed. Momo could see the blood surging to his face.

"Aw, look, Kaidoh-kun's blushing!"

Kaidoh's face faltered, and Momo burst out laughing. Clearly, Ann mistook Kaidoh's fury for embarrassment. Unable to resist the chance to tease Kaidoh, Momo patted the other's hand mockingly. "Don't be so shy, Kaidoh. It's not like we haven't done this before."

If glares could kill, there would be one hundred dead Momos by now.

"Kaidoh," Inui suddenly spoke up. It was the first time he had said anything to them that day. Kaidoh snapped out of his death-glare and turned around. "I have spoken to Ryuzaki-sensei and have designed a training programme for you, specified for doubles. It's not much different to your normal one but I thought it'd be best if we went over it together."

Momo stopped snickering and peeled an eye open. Kaidoh was looking distinctly uncomfortable again.

"How about after club practice tomorrow?" Inui continued. "I'm on cloakroom duty anyway."

Kaidoh squirmed in his seat, and Momo could almost hit him. This was a perfect opportunity to be alone with Inui, and Mamushi was going to let the chance go. Momo sighed; and here he was, thinking the snake couldn't get any more stupid.

"Of course he wil-"

"Momoshiro should come too, Inui-senpai." Kaidoh cut in quickly, and ignored Momo as he spluttered. "He is my doubles partner after all."

Inui turned to Momo, and Momo turned to Kaidoh, who appeared oblivious to them both.

"That's alright, isn't it?"

A fleeting wave of disgust dashed across Kaidoh's face, and he grabbed Momo's hand. Inui's glasses glinted and Momo could see the displeasure on his face. But the hold on his hand was tight, almost pleading him to say yes. Could Mamushi be really _this_ shy?!

Momo resigned.

"Yeah, that actually makes sense, Inui-senpai. Then Kaidoh could come to my house afterwards and we can discuss it more."

Inui nodded silently and Momo was glad he couldn't see beyond those opaque white panes, especially if the eyes were anything like Fuji-senpai's.

Not long after that, Inui left, having agreed to meet tomorrow. Dusk fell around them and the streetlights turned on outside. Momo, Kaidoh and Ann finished their food – surprisingly, Momo was the first one to do so – and sat around, amicably chatting.

Well, Momo reminded himself, _he_ and _Ann_ were amicably chatting; Mamushi was just interjecting a few "Fshuu" here and there. Hardly a fair conversation.

"You know, everyone at Fudomine was really surprised when they heard about you two."

Momo cringed. Great, more people thinking he was dating Mamushi. It was bad enough telling the Seigaku team.

"Oh yeah?"

"Uh huh. Kamio-kun was the most surprised, I think. I thought he'd frozen from shock when I first told him. He still doesn't believe it, by the way. Saying that he has to see evidence to believe it."

Momo cursed Kamio.

"What's not to believe?" He forced out a laugh. "We've liked each other for ages. Hasn't he heard that fighting is a way of showing love?"

That sounded lame even as he said it, but Fuji-senpai had insisted that it would be most believable. And Fuji-senpai was a genius.

They talked a bit more after that, until Ann got a call from her brother. She waved goodbye merrily from the door, saying that they should do this more often. Momo shouted back his agreement, and watched as her skirt fluttered cutely behind her.

The walk home was quiet. Momo was replaying the "date" in his head and Kaidoh looked deep in thought. There weren't many people out now and the street was almost deserted. Momo was just grinning in reminiscence at a particular memory of him telling a joke to Ann when Kaidoh suddenly spoke up.

"Momoshiro…"

Momo turned around, feeling slightly annoyed. He'd just gotten to the part where she was about to laugh.

"What?"

Kaidoh didn't look at him, but bowed his head down so that his eyes were delved in shadows.

"I… I just wanted to…know something…" A breeze began stirring. "Do you… Do you think…" There was a strong gust of current, and the rest of Kaidoh's words were swallowed by the wind.

"What?" Momo edged closer, "I couldn't hear you?"

Kaidoh stopped walking, and his hands fidgeted with the strap on his bag. He took a moment again and inhaled deeply. "I said, do you think… think that Inui-senpai… d-does he…"

Realisation dawned upon Momo, and he sighed. Were all snakes this troublesome?

"Look Mamushi," Deciding to be blunt. "I don't know if Inui-senpai likes you or not. Only he can give you the answer for that, so you'd have to ask him."

Kaidoh sighed "That's what I thought…" He murmured softly.

Something in that voice made Momo turned around. Mamushi was not acting normal. His shoulders were slumped, and his head was bowed, and each step seemed to take humungous effort. Kaidoh looked like a dead man walking and suddenly it made Momo angry to see his normally riled up rival looking this pathetic.

"I may not know if he likes you or no!" Momo said loudly, "But today you've just thrown away a perfectly good opportunity to find that out, baka Mamushi!"

That seemed to do the trick and Kaidoh hissed. He grabbed Momo's collar and snarled angrily. "What did you say?"

Momo stepped forward, and clenched a fist in Kaidoh's shirt. "I said you're a baka Mamushi! If you like Inui-senpai so much, then couldn't you be at least brave enough to take on any opportunity that comes your way!"

Green eyes blinked in surprise at that, and the grip on Momo's neck lessened.

"What are you talking about?"

Momo glared at him.

"Idiot…" He muttered. "Inui-senpai basically explicitly stated that you two would be alone after school tomorrow, so in effect, he has _created_ the chance for you to take. Then you had to go and invite me too. I mean, just how stupid can you get?!"

Kaidoh stared at Momo, an unreadable expression on his face. And then, quite suddenly – he laughed. Like, properly, _laughed_; most un-Mamushi-ly. Momo couldn't see what was so funny, but the sight sent an electric shock down his spine, and he shuddered.

The snake actually looked quite good when he's laughing…

Momo's eyes widened as soon as he realised what he just thought, and he gagged. That was just so wrong… Desperately, he tried to clear his mind. He must've eaten too much… Or maybe the burgers were off today… stupid fast food restaurant, not even checking their food… How could a snake be attractive?!

"God, you really **are** a moron, Momoshiro."

Kaidoh smirked, oblivious to Momo's horrification. And before Momo could even comprehend what had happened, Kaidoh had punched him hard in the arm and started walking off, yelling a "baka" over his shoulders.

It was a while before Momo realised he'd just been called an idiot twice, and that pushed all previous thoughts from his mind. He shouted loudly as his feet stomped forward.

"Hey! Who are you calling a moron, Mamushi?!"

* * *

_**Author's Notes**_

_I hate this chapter. I really really really really do. My brain could not function during the whole time of writing this chapter and I've rewritten it three times!_

… _And, still, I don't like it._

_Anyway, thanks so much for all the reviews, I was so giddy when I read them :) and hope you will continue to support this story!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Only Pretence  
**Chapter:** 3  
**Rating:** PG-15  
**Fandom: **Prince of Tennis  
**Pairing: **Momo/Kaidoh, minor InuKai and MomoAnn  
**Disclaimer: **I own neither the characters nor the manga.

* * *

To be quite honest, Momo found it quite irritating that everybody still whispered noisily about him and Kaidoh. After all, it had been over a month already. He'd have thought that people would've gotten tired of shooting none-too-discrete glances towards them and learnt to get on with their own lives. Okay, so it was weird – hell, he knew that better than anyone – but it wasn't _that_ weird.

On the other hand, it was also extremely amusing to see Kaidoh handling it even worse – no, rather, _much_ worse than him. Momo was not in the same homeroom as Kaidoh but even he could hear the hissing issuing often from the other side of the wall, followed by loud stomping and then the face of an angry snake marching past. It was slightly different in front of their senpais (as Mamushi had got to be the most respectful kouhai in the _history_ of the _world_). When questioned by them, Kaidoh would turn red as an apple instead and mutter something completely incomprehensible under his breath.

It was only the _slightest_ bit cute, Momo admitted. He'd never seen anyone so naïve (and frankly, stupid).

His favourite moment, though, had got to be last weekend, when Mamushi and he went double dating with Eiji and Oishi-senpai. And Eiji-senpai asked the most hilarious question in front of the hotdog stand. Momo was stuffing himself at the time and had to ask Eiji to repeat it.

"I said, which one of you is the girl in the relationship?"

Momo broke into hysterics instantly whilst Kaidoh tensed up.

"We… haven't done _that_ yet." Mamushi said, stiffer than steel.

Eiji tilted his head. "No?" He contemplated it for while. "I think you should be it, Kaidoh-chan."

Mamushi looked like a bomb'd been dropped on him, and Momo broke off laughing only long enough to see colour rise to his face.

"Well, you've got more girlish features than Momo! Your hair, your mouth, your build." He glanced from Momo to Kaidoh. "See? Momo's got bigger muscles _and_ he's taller than you now."

Momo grinned and flexed his arms for show. Kaidoh threw him a look of disgust and glared.

"Only because he uses power tennis like an idiot and sticks up his hair."

Momo ignored the jibe and stepped closer, so that their faces were directly facing each other. He measured their heights; the top of Kaidoh's head only came up to his eyebrows, and nowhere near his hair. He grinned.

"Taller."

Mamushi was flushing like the sun and he shoved Momo away.

"Don't stand so close, dumbass."

Momo laughed, "He even sounds like a girl, Eiji-senpai."

It was lucky that Oishi had decided that they were holding up the queue too much and made them all move, Kaidoh had been looking murderous.

Momo chuckled to himself; that was a good day. After eating the hotdogs, he and Mamushi bought and shared a candy floss (70:30, guess who had which), and took still photos together after squeezing into a tiny photo-booth. There was also the ghost house that Mamushi wouldn't enter – until Momo called him a wuss, that was – and the slightly awkward moment when Eiji and Oishi senpai kissed goodbye.

Momo didn't want to admit it, but dating Mamushi was kind of fun.

Sometimes, he even forgot that they were only pretending and sought out Kaidoh for no reason: like yesterday at lunchtime, when he deliberately found Kaidoh just so that he could have a warm leg to sleep on; or the day before, when he joined Kaidoh in his running despite knowing Inui and Ann wouldn't be there. It had even become almost as instinctive as Eiji-senpai's glomping that he would casually drape an arm around Kaidoh's shoulders during practice and laugh upon hearing the hiss.

Echizen said they were so in love that it was disturbing to just be in the same vicinity as them.

Momo called him a brat and told him to shut up.

The rest of the Seigaku team approved of their relationship, and it wasn't hard to see why. Their doubles game had become unexpectedly strong, much to the surprise of, well, everyone. And their coordination had improved dramatically. Once or twice, they've even managed to win against the Golden Pair.

It seemed like all those trips to Mamushi house weren't so useless after all, Momo reflected. All those hours spent pouring over countless doubles combinations and the trial and developing of each one paid off in the end. The fact that he more than often brought homework and games over was just an unnecessary detail.

It would seem as if everything was coming together now. Tennis, food (as Oishi-senpai always ends up with the bill), school work (Mamushi was surprisingly - and annoyingly - knowledgeable) and, of course, the plan.

True to his word, Momo and Kaidoh now meet up with Ann and Inui once every week in that same restaurant. They would chat, Inui would jot, and Kaidoh would hiss. Sometimes, other members of the Seigaku team would join them and once even Kamio. On that particular occasion, Momo spent that whole day acting doubly amorous to Kaidoh for Kamio was scrutinizing him like a hawk, almost waiting for a mistake to slip.

Unfortunately, Kamio didn't appear to be the only one who was suspicious about their relationship. Momo often got the feeling that Inui-senpai didn't believe it either. It was kind of hard to tell since his eyes couldn't be seen behind those glasses but Momo swore he saw some flashes of doubt passing over those pale features more than once. Kaidoh always seemed to be on full alert mode around Inui-senpai (Momo doubted anyone could be _that_ shy) and so Momo thought that perhaps he'd noticed it too; but then the stupid snake merely gave a disgruntled "hmph" when he (kindly) asked about it.

Ann-chan was another story. She was great. Easy to talk to, fun to be around and did not seem to harbour any doubts about anything. It was always very warm and fuzzy around her and Momo felt extremely relaxed and comfortable. His heart didn't pound as much as he'd thought it would, but then he blamed it on Kaidoh who was always bristling beside him. Seriously, who could feel romantic with a constant drum of hissing in their ears?!

It was with this thought in mind that Momo gritted his teeth and rang the bell to the Kaidoh residence.

Hyotei's captain Atobe was throwing yet another – no doubt, overly blown-up – party to celebrate the start of this year's tennis tournament season. All major tennis teams were invited and, of course, Seigaku was no exception. Unsociable bats like Kaidoh and Echizen gloomed at the invitation but Ryuzaki-baa-chan insisted that everyone must attend; showing "team-spirit" or something similar.

Oh how dark did Tezuka-buchou's expression become.

"Ah! Momoshiro-kun." A warm, friendly woman opened the door and beamed upon him.

Momo smiled back. "Good evening, Kaidoh-san."

"Here to pick up Kaoru-chan, I assume. Come in, come in." She turned to the stairs. "_Kaoru!!_"

A head popped out of a nearby room and Momo almost fell over in surprise. Silky, ebony hair that was too long for a boy and full, pouty lips made for hissing. Momo stared at the unbelievably familiar eyes and briefly thought something was amiss.

"Momo-nii-san?"

Of course, Momo clapped a hand to his face; it was Hazue, Kaidoh's younger brother. The permanent frown wasn't there after all. It's been several times already but Momo could never get used to how uncannily alike they look.

"Yo squirt." He bent down and ruffled Hazue's hair affectionately. A scowl flitted across Hazue's face and he suddenly resembled his brother much more.

"You're late, dumbass."

The real, glowering Kaidoh stood at the foot of the stairs and glared at Momo accusingly. Momo shrugged the comment off and stood up (Hazue flattened his hair immediately).

"I was doing my hair."

Kaidoh scoffed. "Why am I not surprised…"

Momo ignored the remark and gazed at Kaidoh's attire. "Is that all you're wearing?" He pointed towards Kaidoh's bare arms. "It's pretty cold, you know."

Kaidoh finished tying up his shoelaces and stood up, frowning. "It's what I always wear." He wore a strange expression as he looked at Momo and something in Momo's chest plummeted.

"Well hurry up then, everyone would be there by now." Turning away and bidding quick goodbyes to Hazue and Kaidoh-san, Momo stepped outside the landing and leant against the door frame, wondering what the hell just happened. He breathed deeply as his heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears.

"Ittekimasu."

The sound of a door sliding into lock sounded and a punch landed on Momo's arm. Annoyed charcoal eyes glared him briefly before the owner turned around and began walking off.

"Whose fault is it that we're late anyway, idiot!"

Momo blinked as he watched the guy in front of him slide one arm awkwardly into a jacket – a long-sleeved jacket – and then heard the sound of a zipper being pulled.

Something tingly spread through his veins at the sight, and Momo quickly jogged up to aim a light punch back at the now fully-covered Kaidoh. Grinning widely, he nudged the other boy sneakily.

"So I was right, then. Snakes really do hate the cold after all."

Hissing, Kaidoh angrily swiped at him but Momo was already several feet ahead by then, laughing at Mamushi's red-splashed face.

* * *

**_Authors Notes_**

_Hm… This was a hard chapter to write (and really quite boring) so it took long. It's difficult to have time skips and iterate all that's happened in between, but in condensed form. I don't think I did that very well but really, I've tried my best. _

_This chapter is rather boring but I promise the next one will be much more interesting :) _

_Edit: To **The Highly Exalted Miss Perc**, I adore you! English is not my first language and I've always, _always_, had trouble with tenses. I really needed someone to point out my mistakes. -HUG- I hope you'll like this version better now _


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Only Pretence  
**Chapter:** 4  
**Rating:** PG-15  
**Fandom:**Prince of Tennis  
**Pairing:**Momo/Kaidoh, minor InuKai and MomoAnn  
**Disclaimer:**I own neither the characters nor the manga.

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The party was loud; so extremely and overly loud that even Momo – who was undoubtedly one of the loudest people around – could barely hear himself over the thudding pulse of the music. Squeezing and shuffling around the clustered groups, Momo momentarily amused himself with the thought that the socially-retarded Kaidoh must be hissing like crazy behind him; but then a loud boom punched out of the sound system and his brain smashed into his skull. Vaguely in a distant corner, he saw the blue-capped Shishido shouting (silently, of course) to a smirking Oshitari by the speakers and noted Ohtori's anxious attempts to calm him down. 

Momo mentally gave his support to Shishido, and secretly cursed Oshitari. Anything to lower the volume, he thought.

Perhaps it was due to the excessive noise or just the _sheer_amount of people in the room that the air felt incredibly hot. Momo had long ago shed his jacket yet his skin still felt alight with flames. He nodded hazy greetings to random faces he recognised and desperately hoped his hair gel wouldn't melt in the heat. He hadn't brought extra, after all.

"Having fun?"

Finally separated from the mob, Momo halted in fanning himself as Fuji's profile emerged from the shadows. The mere fact that he did not jump proved that he had gotten used to Fuji's antics by now, but a second later and that notion was denied; as his eyes caught the sight of something that made his whole body freeze. Kaidoh stepped up beside him.

"Stop dragging me so hard, idiot, I can walk fine by-"

He stopped, and Momo knew exactly why he stopped; for his own throat had dried up as well.

Fuji just smiled innocently. "What's wrong?"

They stared.

_What's__**wrong**__…?!_

Love bites… Love bites were _everywhere_. Fuji didn't look at all like a man who'd just arrived at a party, but rather like a pretty package that'd just been pressed and rolled through a stamping machine for lip-shaped bruises.

"Fu-Fuji-senpai…"

Momo swallowed hard, unsure what to say. He pointed vaguely the direction of the hickeys and Fuji lifted a ginger hand.

"Ah yes, I forgot about my trophies…" He chuckled softly, and Momo paled whiter than he thought was possible. "Don't look so alarmed, you two. I assure you I had shown my… ah, associates a more-than-equally enjoyable time as well."

Momo noticed the plural form, but couldn't unlock his larynx, and apparently neither could Kaidoh.

Fuji chuckled again, eyes (well, Momo assumed) lowering downwards.

"Ah… I'm taking the plan is going well then?"

Momo blinked, and looked down. He felt Kaidoh do the same. They sprung apart at the same time, shaking their hands as if burnt. He heard Fuji titter.

"Or did neither of you realise?"

Kaidoh flushed red, and hissed as he turned away, but he didn't say anything.

Momo stared at his hand blankly, and wondered why he hadn't noticed. It seemed to have been subconscious, or even instinctive. Glancing sideways, he wondered who had grabbed whose hand first, and then shuddered at the thought, did it really matter?

Fuji gazed from Momo to Kaidoh in amusement, lips curling upwards. He pondered whether he should stay and antagonize them further – for they were such lovely boys to torment – but then that a cross-shaped scar crossed his vision, and priorities changed.

"Ah, I do believe I've just spotted Yuuta. Well, if you'll excuse me…"

Fuji strolled away gracefully, turning his head briefly to wink at them both, and was soon swallowed by the crowd. How he could recognise anyone from the mass of swarming people was beyond Momo's comprehension, but he reasoned it was Fuji-senpai after all.

Kaidoh was still refusing to look at him, and soon Momo was starting to feel kind of uncomfortable. He shoved his hands into his jeans and tried to think of something to say.

"Don't yo-"

"I'm getting a drink."

Momo gaped as Kaidoh turned on his heel without a backward glance and walked away. Some amount of irritation bubbled in his chest but he pushed it down. It wouldn't be smart to start a fist-fight with Tezuka-buchou so close by. Momo glared at the back of the bandana and turned briskly in the other direction. He didn't want to somehow hold hands with Kaidoh again anyway.

The music was more ear-tolerant as he passed through the room again; Shishido was talking in rapid whispers with Ohtori, apparently now calm. He moved on and sought to find more Seigaku team members.

In the darkest corner of the great room, Momo spotted Echizen yawning and bored looking on a couch, Yamabuki's Dan Taichi yabbering and gesticulating wildly beside him. Taka-san was in the kitchen, making sushi and appeared to be apologizing to Oishi who was on constant lookout for any baton-like objects. Eiji kept one arm draped over Oishi as he bounced on his heels, shouting and hopping to the music (Momo later saw Eiji and Hyotei's Makahi Gakuto having a dance-off on a platform conjured out of nowhere). There was a light frost in the air when Momo reached Fuji-senpai again. He and Atobe seemed to be having a silent duel, with both acting spine-chillingly courteous towards each other. Momo felt deeply sorry for Tezuka-buchou, who sat square-faced in the middle and looked like he wanted nothing more than to just be alone.

It wasn't until Momo sidled through the crowds to find Kaidoh again did he see Inui-senpai. The data-player stood close to Rikkai's Yanagi Renji and they seemed to be having a rather heated discussion. For one smallest moment, Momo thought he heard his own name mentioned but it was impossible to be sure in the noise. Besides, his feet sped up as all else was forgotten; he had spotted Kaidoh by the drinks booth.

"Having fun?" Momo ran a hand through his hair, the gel long stopped working.

Kaidoh didn't say anything; his eyes watched Momo silently. Then in one swift movement, he tilted his head back and downed the whole beer can in one swig.

"What do you think…?"

Momo rolled his eyes. He forgot that unsociable attitudes like Kaidoh's were a life-long disease; and it'd take more than a drink to begin withdrawal. Grinning slightly, Momo thought of Tezuka-buchou, who was living proof.

Indeed, he was just about to voice that opinion when he realised that Kaidoh wasn't looking at him at all. The other boy's eyes gazed past him, unfocused, and stared out at something behind his back. Momo turned and saw Inui and Yanagi still in deep conversation; white panes glinting brightly. He was feeling inexplicably annoyed when he turned back again. But as he watched Kaidoh reach out and grab another can, he couldn't help but noticing the number of empty containers already on the table and the unnatural flush on Kaidoh's cheeks.

"Stop it, Kaidoh. Don't." He took hold of Kaidoh's wrist, this time fully intentional. His voice sounded cold even to himself. "You've had enough already."

Kaidoh glared at Momo through dark, hooded eyes and knocked his hand off. "Shut up. Leave me alone."

Momo didn't relinquish, and Kaidoh shoved him out of the way - hard. Eyes narrowed and resolute, he grabbed Kaidoh's arm and twisted so that they were both facing away from the booth, and soon he was almost pinning Kaidoh to the wall. Kaidoh was hissing loudly and Momo knew had it been anywhere else, he'd be sporting a purpling bruise by now. But as he looked over Kaidoh's face again, it was clear that the other boy had no experience with handling alcohol.

"Look," Real anger was now seething through his teeth as Momo shook Kaidoh. "I don't know what you think you're doing but getting pissed and acting jealous like this isn't going to get you any bonus points with Inui or anybody else. Get a grip of yourself, dammit!"

This time, Kaidoh did look at him, and his expression was incredulous. With one hard push, he threw Momo off him and almost smirked as the other tumbled. "My god, Momoshiro, you really are so _stupid_."

Momo pulled himself up and snarled.

"Stupid enough to be swaying on my own two feet and so drunk I can barely hold myself up?!"

Nostrils flared and a moment later Momo found himself being glared through glinting, dark eyes, a hand curled around his collar.

"You don't know a fucking thing, bastard, so don't act like you do." Then the glint was gone and green eyes stared out, almost blankly, into Momo. "And don't act like you care either…"

Something snapped. There was a blur of movement and a second later he had pushed Kaidoh into the wall, angry lips gnawing away at Kaidoh's alcohol-smeared ones. His hands clutched at Kaidoh's head tightly and the bandana slipped off. It was pungent, Momo never liked beer and found he liked it even less when it was all he could smell. But Kaidoh's mouth was warm and wet and soft and Momo felt as if his insides had melted with the touch.

Breaking away from Kaidoh, Momo allowed himself one glimpse of Kaidoh's flushed, startled face before crushing their mouths together again.

"C'mon, you want this to look more believable right?"

He didn't know what he was saying, or why he was bringing any pretences, games into this when he knew he wasn't kissing Kaidoh for any 'plan' or show. But then why was he doing it?

Kaidoh shifted, and Momo braced himself for the punch that was coming. He had expected it from the beginning. But the hands merely moved to claw at his back and lifted Kaidoh's body closer to Momo. Grunting and hissing, Kaidoh shuddered and his lips parted in a gasp; Momo felt a hot tongue slide into sync with his. And suddenly it was shit shit _shit_, he couldn't breathe…

_**Beep beep! Beep beep!**_

They broke apart with the sound of a bottle uncorked. Kaidoh's bandana was askew on his head and his eyes were unfocused and hazy, the flush on his face was even redder than before. Wiping his mouth irately, Kaidoh leaned against the wall and glared as Momo groped inside his jeans for the cell phone that was still ringing incessantly.

Bestowing a drawn-out and gruesome death to the caller, Momo flipped it open.

"Moshi Moshi?" His throat was coarse and dry and he swallowed.

"Momoshiro-kun? It's Ann."

The heart that was still pounding so loudly against his ribcage seemed to freeze mid-movement, and then resumed pace faster than before. He glanced at Kaidoh – who was now untangling the knotted bandana - and quickly walked a few paces away.

"A-ah, Ann-chan… what's up?"

"Are you at Atobe-san's party? I can hear music."

Momo glanced around pointlessly. "Er, yeah, um… It's pretty loud huh?"

"Is Kaidoh-kun with you?"

"_Eh?!_ Er, well…" He glanced back; Kaidoh seemed to have given up with his bandana and was now watching him, hissing silently, but didn't come within earshot. "Well yeah - I mean no, not really, I suppose…"

"Momoshiro-kun…"

Momo paused, his hand pressing the phone hard to his ear; Ann seemed to be having trouble getting out her words.

"Next Saturday is my birthday." Momo blinked twice, he had forgotten he had known that. "If you don't mind, I…" Another pause. "I'd really like to spend it with you."

"Oh!" Momo relaxed, he thought it'd be something so much worse with her tone so-

"-_Just_with you."

A long silence ensued over the line; but Momo had lost the power of speech. His lips opened and closed like a goldfish as Ann listened to the music blasting background. The knuckles holding the mobile were white and shaking. After a minute of nothing, Ann called softly,

"Momoshiro-kun?"

"What? Oh yeah… yeah - I mean! _**Yes**_!" Momo sprang to his feet and smacked a hand to his head, waking himself up. This was Ann! "Of course I can, just tell me where to meet you and when."

"Oh I'm so glad." She laughed as the nervousness wore off. "Let's see… how about we meet at 11 o'clock at the roadside tennis courts?"

"Sure, th-that sounds great. 11 o'clock. Tennis courts. Fine, fine! I-I'll see you then!"

The call ended and Momo stared at his phone in disbelief; his ears still ringing with her goodbye. Ann had asked him out. _Just_ him, meaning no Echizen, Kamio or Fuji-senpai this time. A date… it was a date. His mind reeled. Fuji-senpai's plan had worked!

Before he could digest this information properly, however, a lump of fabric was thrown into his face, and Kaidoh's scowling expression suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Take your jacket, the party's over. And wipe that idiotic smile off your face, I'm not leaving with a you looking like that." Then, almost as an afterthought as he zipped his jacket to the wrong place, "Who was it?"

Momo looked at him.

Kaidoh's hair was loose in locks on his shoulder and his long-sleeve jacket half-adorned. His lips looked sore and abused from the recent mistreatment and Momo could see the faint red hue still splayed across his cheeks. As he looked on, the loud thumping rhythm in his chest picked up again and he tore his eyes away hurriedly.

Stuffing the phone back into his jeans, Momo pulled the jacket over himself and turned away from boy who was watching him ever so carefully. He walked fast towards the door, determinedly keeping his eyes on the floor.

"It's just my mum."

He lied.

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_**Author's Notes**_

_I'm a very very bad author, seriously. The update speed of anything I write is shockingly abysmal… I hope you all forgive me (_

_This was a fun chapter to write really, except I kind of had trouble fitting scenes together as the moods kept on changing. I hope I've done the kiss scene justice )_

_Reviews would be very much appreciated )_


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